Container



Sept. 27, 1966 R. E. PAIGE 3,275,215

CONTAINER Filed May 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Z0 2/ RICHARD 5 /I/GE H6. 1 jaw/gyww ATTORA/ Sept. 27, 1966 R. E. PAIGE 3,275,215

CONTAINER Filed May 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Q INVENTOR. /0 /9a, 86 AlCf/HRD E. Pmag Sept. 27, 1966 R. E. PAIGE 3,275,215

CONTAINER Filed May 18, 1965 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 F I 3 INVENTOR.

Sept. '27, 1966 Filed May 18, 1965 will" R. E. PAIG E CONTAINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. RICHARD E. PAIGE A 7' TORNE'KS.

United States Patent 3,275,215 CONTAINER Richard E. Paige, New York, N.Y., assignor to The Paige Company Containers, lne, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed May 18, 1965, Ser. No. 459,521 6 Claims. (Cl. 22931) This application is a continuation-in-part of applicants US. patent application No. 354,317, filed March 24, 1964.

The present invention relates to containers and more particularly to containers formed of heavy rigid paper board.

At the present time the storage and shipment of relatively heavy material, for example files or machine parts, is expensive. The containers for such material must be strong and rugged. Often they are of wood or metal. Sometimes, because they are less expensive than wood or metal, paperboard containers are used; but these are reinforced with metal edges or plastic stiffening members. Consequently, such containers are relatively expensive to buy. In addition, it is necessary to ship and store them in their unfolded position. Since shipping and storage is often paid for according to the space required, and such space may be costly, the shipment and storage of such containers becomes expensive and troublesome.

It is the objective of the present invention to provide a carton made of heavy corrugated board or heavy cardboard which is shipped and stored in its prefolded state; which, when so prefolded, lies flat; which is designed to be stamped from a single piece of paperboard, to utilize a minimum amount of such board; which is easily and quickly erected into a folded box by unskilled labor and without tools; which provides a strong container for heavy material when erected; which may be readily carried by its integral handles, which may be stacked, and which may be folded after use for subsequent shipment or later re-use.

Other objectives of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan View of the blank from which the carton is made, the blank being in its unfolded flat position;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the prefolded carton made from the blank of FIG. 1 after stapling but lying flat and prefolded;

FIGURE 3 is a front perspective view of the carton of the present invention during its unfolding; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan View of a blank lying flat and unfolded and having glue strips for an alternative assembly of the unfolded carton into a prefolded carton.

As shown in FIG. 1, the carton of the present invention is made from a single integral blank of rigid paperboard, i.e., corrugated board or heavy cardboard. This blank is die cut from paperboard stock. The blank is then pressed or printed to show fold lines and the users name printed on it.

The blank includes a central rectangular portion 1 which forms the bottom of the folded box. Four small rectangular cut outs (holes) 2, 3, 4 and 5 are punched along the two side edges of bottom portion 1. Side flaps 6 and 7 are formed integral with bottom portion 1 and are separated from the bottom portion by fold lines 8 and 9 respectively. These side flaps 6 and 7 form the comparatively low side walls of the carton. Exterior end flaps 10 and 11 are formed integral with bottom portion 1 at its two ends and separated from the bottom portion by fold lines 12 and 13, respectively. Elongated openings 14 and 15, preferably elongated rectangles having rounded ends, are cut through flaps 10 and 11, respectively.

The interior end flaps 16 and 17 are integral with exterior end flaps 10 and 11, respectively, and are separated from them by fold lines 18a and 18b, between flaps 12 and 16, and fold lines 19a and 19b between flaps 13 and 17. Two small extensions 20 and 21 in the case of flap 16, and 22 and 23 in the case of flap 17, are integral with those flaps and provide locking feet for the ends of the carton. Two folding lines, which are pressed on the blank so that they are indented, are provided on each of the interior fla-ps 16 and 17. These lines, 24 and 25 on flap 16, and 26 and 27 on flap 17 are at a 45 angle to lines 18b and 19b, respectively. Elongated openings 28 and 29 are provided in flaps 16 and 17 respectively. These openings 28 and 29 are the same size and shape as openings 14 and 15 and together with them provide handles at the ends of the carton. Pulling flaps 29, 30 and 31, 32 are provided at the ends of side flaps 6 and 7 respectively. These pulling flaps 29-32 are integral with the side flaps 6 and 7 and the exterior end flaps 12 and 13 are joined to them by fold lines. The pulling flaps 29-32 have indented folding lines 33, 34, 35, 36 respectively at angles to the fold lines between the pulling fiaps and their side flaps. The pulling flaps are cut in at 37-40 to provide for clearance when the ends are opened and are cut in at 41-44 to provide for the handle openings. The cut-ins 37-40, the folding lines 33-36 and the connection with flaps 6 and 7 form triangular portions -53 of flaps 29-32.

The first step in constructing the carton of the present invention, so that it is ready for erection, is to cut out a blank in the form shown in FIG. 1, print the users name and stamp the folding indentations. Then, in the second manufacturing step, as shown in FIG. 2, the side flaps 6 and 7 and their pulling flaps 29-30 and 31-32 are folded inward along lines 8 and 9 so that they lie flat against the inside of bottom portion 1. The third step is to fold over interior flaps 16 and 17 inwardly along fold lines 18a-18b and Il a-19b so that the flaps 16 and 17 are on top of pulling flaps 29, 31 and 30, 32, respectively. In the last step, staples, or other stitching means, 45 and 46 are fastened to secure fiap 16 to flap 12 and flap 17 to flap 13. The side flaps 7 and 8 are held down because they are integral with the pulling flaps 29-32 which are held down by the secured interior flaps 16 and 17.

In an alternative form of the present invention, interior flaps 16 and 17 are held down by gluing them to the backs of the pulling flaps 29-31. As shown in FIG. 4, a strip of glue 61 is applied across the inside edge of interior flap 16 near folding line 18b and between fold lines 24 and 25. A similar strip 61 is applied to flap 17. A strip of glue may also be applied along the edge of the flaps 29, 30, 31 and 32 which are towards the ends of the box when the box is flat and unfolded. The glue on flaps 29, 30, 31 and 32 is upwards when the box is folded and flat but is downwards, i.e., on the side opposite the side to which strips and 61 are applied, when the box is fiat and unfolded, as in FIG. 4.

In the last manufacturing step, using glued flaps instead of the stitching means 45 and 46, the interior flaps 16 and 17 are folded inwardly along fold lines 18a-18b and 19a-19b. Pressure is then applied on the top of the interior flaps 16 to glue it firmly to the pulling flaps 29 and 31 and on top of interior flap 17b to glue it firmly to the pulling flaps 30 and 32. It is not necessary to glue interior flaps 16 and 17 to exterior end flaps 10 and 11, although with suflicient pressure in the center such gluing may sometimes be obtained.

The carton is shipped and stored in its fiat factory prefolded form until ready to use.

When the carton is ready to be used it is set up by first exerting outward pressure on the side flaps 7 and 8 until they are vertical relative to bottom portion 1. Outward pressre oun side flaps 7 and 8 pulls upon the triangular portions 50-53 so that they rotate about their edges 33-36. At the same time the end flaps are drawn inward and the two triangular portions of flaps 16 and 17 behind lines 24-27 are pushed upward along lines 24-27 by the movement of the triangular portions 50-53. The end flaps 12 and 13 are then pushed the rest of the way inwardly until they are vertical. The extensions 20-23 are then pushed backward, away from the center of the box and into the openings 2-5 respectively. The carton is now erected and locked, as shown in FIG. 3, with its side walls and ends in their vertical position, and is ready to be used.

After use the carton may be reflattened by pulling the locking extensions 20-23 out of openings 2-5, and pushing outward on interior flaps 16 and 17 until those flaps are fiat. The side flaps will automatically fold into their flap position.

The carton of the present invention solves the dilemma of the user who wishes a carton which is strong and does not wish to bear the expense of shipping, storing and handling empty boxes.

I claim:

1. A unitary structure for folding into an open tray, comprising a single blank of rigid but fold-able paperboard;

a central rectangular bottom panel 1,

side panels 6, 7 hingedly connected to opposite sides of said bottom panel,

end panels 10, 1 1 hingedly connected to opposite ends of said bottom panel 1 with two slots 4, and 2, 3 adjacent each end hinge,

a double-hinge section comprising a narrow intervening panel, lying 'adpacent the outer edge of each end panel 10, 11,

an additional end panel 16, 17 lying adjacent the outer hinge of each double-hinge section;

said additional end panel 16, 17 being divided into three sections by two 45 hinges 2'4, 25, each hinge starting at the juncture of the side edge and inner edge of said additional panel and extending outwardly to terminate at the outer edge of said additional panel, thus forming two generally triangular panels, each of which has a tab 20, 21 and 22, 23 extending therefrom;

two-panel web sections 29, 30, 31, 32 hingedly connectting one side of each end panel 10, 11 to the corresponding side of a side panel 6. 7, said web comprising a generally triangular panel 37, 38, 39, 40 hingedly connecting the side panel to a central 45 hinge 3-3, 3-4, 65, 36, and the second web panel connecting the side of the end panel 10, -11 to said 45 hinge;

all four web sections 29, 30, 31, 32 being olfset inwardly of the corners of the bottom panel 1 to space the hinges defining the sides of the side panels inwardly from the end panel;

the connected side 6,7 and web panels 29, 30, 3'1 32 being folded over to a position overlying their adjacent bottom and end panels, and the additional end panels 16,17 being folded over to overlie the foldedover webs;

the inner surface of each additional end panel being adhesively fastened to the outer surface of each extended web panel, to form a prefolded, unitary structure which can be erected into an open paperboard tray.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the end panels 10,11, 16, 17 each has an elongated opening 14, 15, 28, 29 which provides handles.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1 in which the second web panel has an elongated portion extending beyond the termination of the 45 hinge.

4. A structure for folding into an open tray, comprising a single blank of rigid but foldable paperboard;

a central square or rectangular bottom panel 1,

side panels 6, 7 hingedly connected to opposite sides of said bottom panel,

end panels 10, 11 hingedly conected to opposite ends of said bottom panel]. with two slots 4, 5 and 2, 3 adjacent each end hinge;

a double-hinge section comprising a narrow intervening panel, lying adjacent the outer edge of each end panel 10, 11, i

an additional-end panel =16, -17 lying adjacent the outer hinge of each double-hinge section;

said additional end panel 16, 17 being divided into three sections by two 45 hinges 24,25 each hinge starting at the juncture of the side edge and inner edge of said additional panel and extending outwardly to terminate at the outer edge of said additional panel, thus forming two generally triangular panels, each of which has a tab 20, 21 and 22, 23 extending therefrom; two-panel web sections 29, 30, 3'1, 32 hingedly connecting one side of each end panel 10, 11 to the corresponding side of a side panel 6, 7, said web comprising a generally triangular panel 3-7, 38, 39, 40 hingedly connecting the side panel to central 45 hinge 33, 34, 35, 36, and the second web'panel connecting the side of the end panel 10, 11 to said 45 hinge,

all four web section-s 29, 30, 3'1, 32 being offset inwardly of the corners of the bottom panel 1 to space the hinges defining the side panels inwardly from the end panel;

the connected side 6, 7 and Web panels 29, 30, 31, 32

being folded over to a position overlying their adjacent bottom and end panels, and the additional end panels 16, 17 being folded over to overlie the foldedover webs; and

fastening means to fasten each end panel 10, 11 to its corresponding additional end panel 16, 17 to form a prefolded, unitary structure which can be erected into an open paperboard tray.

5. A structure as claimed in claim 4, in which the end panels '10, 1 1, 16, 17 each has an elongated opening 14, 15, 28, 29 which provide handles.

6. A structure as claimed in claim 4 in which the second web panel has an elongated portion extending beyond the termination of the 45 hinge.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,536,384 1/ 1951 Meller 22935 2,619,275 11/ 1 952 Bergstein 229-35 3,131,848 5/ 1964 Floyd 229-31 FOREIGN PATENTS 574,357 4/1959 Canada.

JOSEPH RaLECLAlR, Primary Examiner.

R. PESHOCK, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A UNITARY STRUCTURE FOR FOLDING INTO AN OPEN TRAY, COMPRISING A SINGLE BLANK OF RIGID BUT FOLDABLE PAPERBOARD; A CENTRAL RECTANGULAR BOTTOM PANEL 1, SIDE PANELS 6, 7 HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL, END PANELS 10, 11 HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO OPPOSITE ENDS OF SAID BOTTOM PANEL 1 WITH SLOTS 4, 5 AND 2, 3 ADJACENT EACH END HINGE, A DOUBLE-HINGE SECTION COMPRISING A NARROW INTERVENING PANEL, LYING ADPACENT THE OUTER EDGE OF EACH END PANEL 10, 11, AN ADDITIONAL END PANEL 16, 17 LYING ADJACENT THE OUTER HINGE OF EACH DOUBLE-HINGE SECTION; SAID ADDITIONAL END PANEL 16, 17 BEING DIVIDED INTO THREE SECTIONS BY TWO 45* HINGES 24, 25, EACH HINGE STARTING AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE SIDE EDGE AND INNER EDGE OF SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY TO TERMINATE AT THE OUTER EDGE OF SAID ADDITIONAL PANEL, THUS FORMING TWO GENERALLY TRIANGULAR PANELS, EACH OF WHICH HAS A TAB 20, 21 AND 22, 23 EXTENDING THEREFROM; TWO-PANEL WEB SECTIONS 29, 30, 31, 32 HINGEDLY CONNECTTING ONE SIDE OF EACH END PANEL 10, 11 TO THE CORRESPONDING SIDE OF A SIDE PANEL 6, 7, SAID WEB COMPRISING A GENERALLY TRIANGULAR PANEL 37, 38, 39, 40 HINGEDLY CONNECTING THE SIDE PANEL TO A CENTRAL 45* HINGE 33, 34, 35, 36, AND THE SECOND WEB PANEL CONNECTING THE SIDE OF THE END PANEL 10, 11 TO SAID 45* HINGE; ALL FOUR WEB SECTIONS 29, 30, 31, 32 BEING OFFSET INWARDLY OF THE CORNERS OF THE BOTTOM PANEL 1 TO SPACE THE HINGES DEFINING THE SIDES OF THE SIDE PANELS INWARDLY FROM THE END PANEL; THE CONNECTED SIDE 6, 7 AND WEB PANELS 29, 30, 31 32 BEING FOLDED OVER TO A POSITION OVERLYING THEIR ADJACENT BOTTOM AND END PANELS, AND THE ADDITIONAL END PANELS 16, 17 BEING FOLDED OVER TO OVERLIE THE FOLDEDOVER WEBS; THE INNER SURFACE OF EACH ADDITIONAL END PANEL BEING ADHESIVELY FASTENED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF EACH EXTENDED WEB PANEL, TO FORM A PREFOLDED, UNITARY STRUCTURE WHICH CAN BE ERECTED INTO AN OPEN PAPERBOARD TRAY. 